Loose-leaf binder



Sept. 25 1923. 1,468,845

c. D. TRUSSELL I LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 13. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

gvwewtoz kmmga @Mza,

- 6 mm. AMJK W Sept. 25 1923. 1,468,845

c. D. TRUSSELL LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 15, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 5;

' To all 2071 Omit may eom em MANUFACEUEINGCOMPANY NEWLYQR r LCQOSEQLE a 'ei tizen oi the Uf ited States of Americaresiding in: foughkeepeie; ihthe emfi 'y Dutehess endStete 0:5 New York ha 1 vented certain new 'iiseful Improvements in Loe se Leaf Binders; of which the following isa specification. 5

This invehfienrelates to SQ-Cgllld ring "binders for binding together, ilsually; in

bok form, perfdrafied leg-weesheets,f the l I I Fig.6.

perforations 'heing hooks. formejdjto nleke maxim end when LlIlltGdCODStltfdtlIlg .2, ring ofmer'e oiylessiippreximetio tocii clilar form 'thefhogks' being moun 3 plates which 4 have roc'lnng eng'acem ent' laced with a it og'gle aetion e0 thee thespririg pressure is, neutralized in poem "of ihe hooks between elfosed and $1111 onen" end the sprihg pressure nets w'lth '1ts m th e spr"1ng "pre ssh're is; ig iefieeti' ke, 1 and in 'niovii1g to either side of'this neutral peek jion the plates buckle; withfa *cefe'glej aepi'ong so that the spring PlfQSSUiG heconieeefie 1 Inent. Common :the Spring is applied a I cliz'ved back havingiits' eppesite 'ed'ee turned nwnrdlyto form fiZIHQQSJVhlCh em 7 brace the el lteredges of the pletes'g' huf 'fhe may Va ieusly applied .11 blnde'rs ofthie type. I 7 Y whereby their abetting edges" alignment and chei'r jnevem'enthto o f en thiej hooks 1s hmiterhui'ihe medepf attachme;

illej hooks the plates; in an" e eener 511 'fln ewinghthe hoioksfepen; end in .encl we plate being removed; J Fig. an'en]erg Qertly broken awajriflhorizo'n 521 1 section. Q Fig l Qis' afragimehfiar flengitfidinaL V V tion in-the planeef the lihe 10 -10 in their abutting edges, and are'spl leflaet'u- A. cari'ied ,ohfpl'etee B B, :mvmgmch 126 cjontalelt 'etitheif inher o'r abuttingedgee V jum' J edvantage when the hookshare elosedfee hold e re open to h0g1.

"z ne'z lly' hgils liffc'leer 110 s fmap be made:- ieslliellt r V I a a I oilfi wyrd1 The invenuon brevldesgmprovements n plate fth e, eoi stru etieh of the hook on fl' ieffe if 'r 1 l 7 1 1g pletejn each 7 with the upwar g pgle"felinedfbjfithepletes' 311 5 l View j simngli tg Fig; '1; hie the blndel 'ln use filth the sheets'gr {F152 91s plan of 'the end', shqWn': in FigQG,

lnfhe pertieulal eonstiuetio'n shown; the improved bindery "has hoeks of half rihg s late C: 213 1s usu'x-l pro; make in f sueh manner a iewn 111 1 2 n6 5. Oppesite e 0 e f'el fmafihgi I we hy'swaging, so ireee 511m ihe'ton gue i The: tengu'ee pm eetOn. the

f of eachplete' end thereeesses',

efhaIH theimgtm th'efieetm,

" etin e an angle corresponding" hen f dbwr'xiverd fr 105.

ih e h e l e i h eek plates. sho wh inlFigl- 4 This '7 110 li ited by the abmungef the 'eii'ds'of the hooks; the upward movement shown in Fig. is limited by the abutting of thetongues against.- the lindersides of the recesses, as

shown in Figfii Thistongue abutment; is

' closely that at extreme opening inoyenient the inner edges of the plates will touch or nearly touch the underside of the cover plete, as.

shown inFig. 5, thusaifording a double seourity against the hooks being forbednp too far. The cover plate D niay, ho\yever, be omitted, as'i i o rn 1s n'o neces ary part of the present intent on. The 'c onstructlon thus described affords a very siinple bheap, 7 effective and easily assembled I'n'eans for-ad 'Complishing a rocking joint beti een the abutting edges of the-hook, Carrying plates. The tongues are alternated atint'eryals so that they holdthe inner edges ofth'eiplstes in alignment and preserye their rocking contact.- 'The longitudinal positions ofthe plates, such as to" keep the hooks in mating.

register, is insured byformingthe tongues in pairs close together so that they have eralabutmentflhose of onepair in onedirect on and .thoseof another pair inthe con trary, direction, whereby it 1s 1m possible .for

either plateito belongitu'dinally displaeed relatively to, the other. i E ,is an openertor forcing. open-the books by imparting the openingmo elnentito the hook plates. The construetion ofthisopener is'f in some respects an Vi nprovemerit.w ,on' that set forth. inkmy application filed liebruary24c, 1920, Serial 360,712. in that prior construction: the opener consists of a lever consisting of inetal plate setdnsa plane extending longitudinally of they plat es B, C and D, being perpendicular to the hook plates whennin their aligned Inid-position, and thus occupying a longitudinal medial plane andimovin in thissaine plane with a rocking movement. 7 i The opener constitutes a lever which reacts againstthe spring plate C and hasa POI'tlOYLWllICh engages beneath thefhook plates. Its operating arm ,eX-i

tends up through a slotf in the topplete and .is forined ith athumb piece or button g, Whichformerly was round but-nowlisfa n shapedso asto better accord with and enter between the? curved corners of -the loose leaves or sheets "G G, as shown in Fig.

Formerlythe opener had a singl rocking bearingat one point .on the springb-aek plate, Whichhad the disadvantage ,thatgiits 7 pressure was liable to, displace, orbulgeout- .wardly lthe back plate vat this point, {since the-back plate ,is Commonly inade, iot yery thinspring metal an'd as considerable-pressure has to -be appliedto the openertofdisplace the hook [plates upwardly; the reao; tion of this pressure being concentrated at 1e.m eeenaeee oneipoint upon'suehfthin- Inetal'fiyas apt to 7 'vIi-dingathickened ior reinforced'bearing fol- I the ;o-pener to .rock against, and by con-. adequate for limiting this opening -move nient; but it is desirable also, dy hen the cover plate D is used, to have this pletefit so strueting the opener in. rockenformsothat and the toe Which lifts the hO Ok PlQIQSMlS; lettered 2'. v

tinuous curve as -shof-vn,-instead of bet ing i bask-plate: This e'urv'e' is-so, shapetl asf to have a earn aetioii, its eli'lect being to-"yary th wh e tgfihej e ti in ts movement. Vh'en presentment-stepan mum bea ing. atonepoihtjtigiiinsttlie I.

plied theleverage is the fatioof'aboiitB 1 to 1, which diminishes duriiig theiihdyeinent until, when the'hookppl'ates are in'ent oride'ad .the ratio evei age diminishes to :about or "3101 1,fas'will"liie s by o paring; the full l. "dbf positions shown in bearing of the opener "ifs 'agaihstt'reiiire ce The roeker Rh) p-late j i hioh in spionage sp e e k LT qf l1 i1fQ Pl t itself strengthened 'by fh'aving 1 sides turned up to fornrfiii nges k 71:. This rein l 'fer'oe thus formsa troug I p i s r distributes the pressure exerted .by-theopnr ,ighaiinel tyhieh ,7

er ovenaprol'onged area iof the spring b ank plate. The reinforce; plate also servesfto take up all loo s enessof thQopenr. mid prei w, Du

yentrattling. To thisfend itsfsideflaiiges k klyildihg ly ieinbra'oe the sides of the opener between them 111';SL1Ch manner as to take up all lateral looseness, and thetonfgiie v nad'eresilient top-ses ile, reinforce plat-e upward, so ai's 't'ovlift the opener eii'd" ,presswitsjtoe i against'th iiridei' "side bf the hook-plates, and i ts hel jz" up "the r,.- flen*ge jn. bj-pice I I} r I don n the 1' plate against batik pletehefoie ing under vsidie; of the top pla te D pressing jdofn n Q11 the i opener is ro g-ked, ffirs't ,forein iip the hook-plates, Tliereii'iiioree plate j as .toprevent its 'beponiing displaced j sidespring baok plates Thesege'ars are is pushed down betweeirit lfirii.

. To make a neat finish at the provided. Lnse pe s sareibftl i omp ise eha erepe a ti D, the t e time is held in position'inany sl'ii table my-,.-,; o wise;and" nnetimi a eee its i temper, i ie ngi idi t ee;i i thi .lQCZLt-i f the reinforce "pla c filit l sr .tosc'on ne' it between; ears bent up and 'a'bottofnrpo rti'on'p.:, The top sheen .io-r cap" is formed-witha raised beadgg ex- :itendingacrossthe top and abutting against .the end of the top plate, iiThebott'om plate L01.- flange 1p {underlies the spring :back plate,

and preferably contornis' fclosely thereto;

- The end caps may be held on inany-siiitable way; In the. construction shown the. spr ng back plate is toiniedwith slotsar "1" near its ends? on o Josite";sides.. these slots bein at 1 r V t) v its; .widest part j-ust belo wi-its inturned Qfianges; and thegtop'plate a of each-jcapis 7 formed on opposite s'ides-with beyellecbor' inclined {ears 8 projecting foutwardlyiand adapted, lv as the 'c'ap ispushedinto place from beyond the -'cn'd of: the metals, to. enter V ly bythe resilient parts otthe top plate et sprlnging outwardly. The bevelled shape of the ears facilitates-the assembling of.

these 1) arts; and when once assembled the "abrupt'sid'es o't-the fears form locking shoulorders for efleetuall'y preventing the displace 'ment 0-1 the'ca ps.- *Thecaps-canbe removed onlyiby'rneans of; a special tool-to engage the inturned-flanges on the spring plate and press these flanges apart, orby forcing in wardlythe ears' sJ lt iadesirable to ftorin the top pl'atefalso with slo-tsrrjn its side flanges toreceive the'ears's, wherebyfthese e'ar's also assist in holding the" top plate in If 1 end hooks A are so closeto'th endsao'fthe It is desirable -to=.= form the reinforce plate 'y' and -the end-capfl l in one'piece, as shown in Fig, 8.- The e'nd cap H is shown as;unprovided with any reinforce plate j, because; it comes at-the top of the book where an opener Eisn'ot required; but if an opener 'i's'used at "each end then the cap H should place.

be of'the same construction as the cap The advantage of formlng the'setwo parts j integrally is that each assistsin locating andholding'in pl'ace the other; Their connecting portion-is a tonguej,Figs. 6 and 9, which is devoid-of side flangesJ -and passes through an open slot tformed in the spring back plate, and whichslot has to be long enough 'to ad'mit the height ofthe side flanges k. 'l-n asse'nlbling the parts; the reinforce plate j is first introduced atnearly right angles through the slot t, whereupon the cap'is swung into position beyond the end of the spring plate, and is then thrust longitudinally into place, entering its-top plate n between the flanges of the spring, as already explained. When the end cap is locked in place by the engagement of the' ears 8 with the'slotsr, the reinforce plate y becomes securely located so that its displace ment is prevented. v

The structure thus far described may be fastenedjto theboeklliackziini any kmtvn'er suitable mannerz 1 Commonly; the? fasteni ing; acc'omplished by vrneans of 1 a; curved binding plate betwsen-which?and the 1 spring 7 back C the .book'fback ezorgpfarta thereof: (us ually of fdaric or ileatherlisclamped 1 110111 3 Y the; binding gplatei 'has prongs pro-" .jectin'g 1 from it rwhichenter slots in w the "spring: plate and aretnnned downs-to clamp. the" two'- plates togetherf WithiQthe present ac'onstruction; v hdweveninstead; of

prioiriding- QQSfHSIlal one such, prong at each; V

' end, (if endipl ongs areirsed' it is'inecessaryj 1 Vto;provideltwoyand space themfar: enough apartgto ayoid interfering with therein-force turningklown may be shown ;by dotted'lines 1115 Fig.-. 4-, at as .In: Fi'g'.=-10i:the:fabr1c of .80 i V fplateij; Thelocationlo t thesprongs'betore.

the book back is i'shownizat I, and the" bind ing plate atJ, its turn'edinie'ars being shown at Usually, the fabric I ris 'ia bindin'gf Y strip, i and -the- .outer portion otrthe book also the purpose of.- concealing-these ends-0t the binding plate'by'flanging; down thelbot- I tom plate or portion 79, as shoWnJat u in Figs-:6 andy8this flangeportion being extended downward farfenough: to power the edgeof the plate-la 7 w V V In the -particular construction shown, the

book or binder; asto make-it II C Y to notch outthe hook plates B at the endwhich I i is engagedwby theiopener -.E ,this opener enteringpartly/1 into" such; notchesw Th s, however, 1s3f unnecessary fin constructions where thehooks .do notapproach {so closely V "tolthe ends rof thebook; The invention is not limited features of construction set forth, nor to; the

"m atthe necessarily-conjoint use o'f-all the improvements describeds The-construction is sub ject to modificationin many respects,';as,-will i be Well understood :byL-those' skilled in the art.

For example,1the spring stress neces-"11 sar to ive theito linw'action ma wbe y b (1h 8 1 meet edge-to edge yet it is to be understood that in this-art it is'unnecessary that such edge contact be continuous, and it is also under stood thatthe edge Contact of the plates may be accomplished without their immediately.

touching each-other that; is by extending the base portions of the hooks to project" slightly beyond the V ineeting'edges of the i 7 plates, and maki'ngthe rocking contact sur-,

faces on the hooks w'ihereby they hold the :iedges' of the'plates'slightlyseparated. j It is, however, one of the adiiantages ofthe presentcons'triiction thathit p'erinits of -asuit able rocking engagementzby immediatei eontact between the edgee'of the 7 plates; Iclann asmyinvention: W I

1. In a ring: binder; hook carryingplates having'roekingedge contact, pressed resili- "meeting ed ges' withfpaire of tongues pan d ini rclenta' tions 'thejindentations formed it-hin the thickness of the plates" on their 'uiider fsi'desyand' the tongues 'projeeting from the nn'der-side" df 'the *plates' and entering the mating indentations, and alternated to" hold the 'n'iating edgeein aligninent.

V I 2. In 'aubinder according to clai1n 1,' the tengues' abnttiri'g' against" the bottoms of the indentations-tolimit the opening movement ofthe hooks.

A-"lo'se leaf binderroniprising hook 'plates havingkheekge back plate, and an ;opener-hav1ng*=a= rockingmovement; reating "against the'baek plate; with an interposedereinforee plate to di'atrildute f its pressure against thehaekvplete. '4. Aloinder a'ccoidiilg to claim 3, the reinforee plate having side flanges forniing a channel in which'-thel )pener is guided. 5-. A binderaecor'din'g toelaini 3, the reinforee plate resilient and preesingagainst' the opener to mke p loosehes.

6. A loose leaf binder according" to lclaim "3,

the binder having -m'eans providinglateral giiides' for the opener;

7, Ad'oes'e'leaf binder according to claim BQ-the binderl'iaving nieaiis fbrlaterally loeating the" reinforce plate and the letter havin'gfmeanefor laterally guiding the "opener. '8. A loose leaf binder comprising hook plates having hooks; .a Back plate and an opener, the latter comprisihg; a flat metal plate the fpl'ane' Uf which coincides 'Witlr the lehgit-ud-inal medial plane of the hinder-and movable in its 'own planq-antl formed Withe curved rok'er 'bearin'g 'reacting against the baekiplate, and an interposed reinforce plate having an Upward -spring stress the opener having toes at opposite" endsythe one-engaging" beneath an overhanging p0rti0n,"and the other engaging'beneath the -'ho0kplates, the upward stress of the reinforce plate pressing said toes into firm engagement with'their toveriyin'g parts;

"9. A ringrbinder ebmprising'hook plates :flange extendingmunde ii'hexbackplatei r 1-2. A ring binder my name.

ineeeeee v having hooks, a loacli jplate': emhracing'said hook; plates, and an; end eaTp fastenedite the flange '-underlying and embracing the end portion of thebaek plate;

.babkplate' having :an end-portion, .andf'Y'a' f. 10. Aring'binder coinprisinghoek plates 11,; A-rin'gbmder hoolt plates hookz plates v a topplate" and an end cap, the

' latter 'comp'rising'an end-portion closing the tspace'between the batik-plate and top plate, I "a top ortion projecting beneath the m plate, and an 'int'ervening bead: covering the end of the top plate, and 'havingza'l'so a and eonforming to I comprising hook plates having-hooks, back :plate embracing said hook: plates, anda'n end eap fastened to; the

back plate, having an end portion, and a top porti0n,-the latterfformed with laterally projecting 4 ea're and the y-loack plate having vWithin its flanges longitudinal; slots engaged by said ears vforce plate to receive the action of the opener anildistribnte itj-to-the backkplate. o.

'14. In a binder ,eoinprising -ho oksi and vtheir carriers, 9; "spring back plate and a binder 'and bobk.backiare attaehedi 15. A ring 'bin'der comprising hookzplates 1 having hooks, a "spring plate embraeing the hook'platesi, andan end cap fastened tethesprinlg :plate, said end cap having a flange which underlies the spring plate, the flange having an end portion which passes above the lowerportion of the -spring plate.=

, In Witness whereof l have hereunto signed (intent-0E renssnni l '13.-In "a binder comprising hook plates' and-hooksyeba'cl'r plate, an opener and an. endcap, thelatter i formed "with an extension projecting over'ithebabk plateto' form a rein- 7 having hooks',-'a back plate-embracing .said 7 "hbok'iplates, a topplate and an endz'cap; the letter-comprising an e'ndlportion closing the fspace between the *back'platemnd top platege top portion projecting beneath the topplate} v-andan intervening head: covering the end -v 'of'the topplate; .I

]-binding1plate for attaching the binder to a ;b00kback,lanendlcap for closing theopen end of the hack-plate having 'a-projfeeti-ng rib 'lO-cat'ed" adjacent theend bf the ,bindin guplateand concealing such end from view when the 

